baking
No-Knead Overnight Bread
A bakery-style loaf with a crackling crust and open crumb, 5 minutes of work the night before, baked in a Dutch oven in the morning.
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The Dutch oven traps steam, which is what gives you that bakery crust at home.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (430 g) bread flour
- 1½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp instant yeast
- 1½ cups (360 ml) cool water
- Coarse cornmeal or extra flour, for dusting
Steps
- 1The night before: in a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms with no dry spots. Cover and rest at room temperature 12 to 18 hours, until bubbly and roughly doubled.
- 2Turn the dough onto a heavily floured surface. With floured hands, fold it onto itself a few times into a loose round. Place seam-side down on a piece of parchment dusted with cornmeal. Cover with a towel and rest 1 hour.
- 330 minutes into that rest, put a 5-to-6-quart Dutch oven with the lid on into the oven and heat to 475°F (245°C).
- 4Carefully lift the parchment with the dough and lower it into the hot pot. Cover with the lid.
- 5Bake covered 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.
- 6Tip onto a rack and cool at least 30 minutes before slicing, it's still cooking inside.
Notes
If your kitchen is cold, the dough may need the full 18 hours. Look for the bubbly surface, not the clock.
Updated May 2026
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